Writing instrument



Sept. 8, 1964 H. K. BRoss 3,147,740

WRITING INSTRUMENT i med Nov. so, 1961 2 sheets-sheet 1 vnwmigzvq .e '.7'. I. .I I. I. I. I

a HELMUT aRoss mvEmOR v ATTORNEY Sept. 8, 1964 H. K. BRoss WRITING INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1961 fait* FIG.- l2

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HELMUT BROSS mvENToR `ATTORNEY United States Patent O ice 3,147,740 WRITING INSTRUMENT Helmut Karl Bross, 4t) Weichselgartenstrasse, Altenberg uber Numberg, Germany, assigner of fifty percent to Frank T. .Iohmanm Berkeley Heights, NJ.

Filed Nov. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 155,959 12 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

This invention relates to a writing instrument. Particularly, the invention relates to a writing instrument wherein the writing means carrier can be projected and/ or retracted by deforming the casing of said instrument.

In the preferred form of the invention, a Writing means carrier longitudinally movable within a casing, has its inner end engageable with the tapered sides of a substantially frustro-conical bore within the upper portion of the pen casing. By deforming the casing as by bending or squeezing, a side of said bore is brought into contact with said carrier inner end to exert a wedging action upon said carrier whereby said carrier is moved downwardly relative to the casing to a point protracted position where it is held projected by a latching means.

In one embodiment of the invention, the latching means are released by pressing the protracted writing point firmly against a rigid surface, whereupon a retraction spring returns the carrier to a point retracted position. In another embodiment of the invention, wherein the latching means constitute a ratchet device, the latching means are released by again bending or squeezing the casing. Still another embodiment of the invention embodies a writing instrument that can be actuated by deforming the casing by squeezing, or bending, or by means of a more conventional pushbutton, or by any combination of these three methods. For example, the writing point can be protracted and retracted solely by bending or solely by squeezing, or solely by pushbutton action, or protracted by bending and retracted by pushbutton, or protracted by pushbutton and retracted by pushbutton, etc. This last-mentioned 4device thereby provides in one pen a wide choice of actuating methods to thereby satisfy varying individual consumer preferences in a single writing instrument. Still other embodiments of my invention are described herein.

Bending and squeeze action mechanisms have been disclosed in my previous patents, e.g. U.S. Patent 2,899,931 and Swiss Patent 332,845. The present invention represents various improvements over the structures of these patents. Thus, an important new aspect of the present invention is the provision of the aforementioned frustroconical bore, or its equivalent, proximate the upper end of said carrier. If a ratchet type latching mechanism is provided, then it is preferably located proximate the lower end of said carrier. By this arrangement, a number of advantages are obtained. For example, it will then be possible to deform the casing away from the latching mechanism so as not to disturb or cause shifting of the latch mechanism if frictional engagement, gluing or threaded engagement is used to fasten portions of the latchingl mechanism to the casing. Also, by making the casing deformable proximate said upper end of the writing means carrier, there is no need to make any allowance for play between the writing means carrier and the latching mechanism when the instrument is operated by bending and the writing means carrier includes a rigid ballpoint cartridge. Furthermore, if desired, the wall at the upper end of the lcasing can be made relatively thin, or `can dene a small bore to facilitatea squeezing action. In addition, a pushbutton can be conveniently incorporated in the instrument design when the upper end of the casing is deformable. These and other improvements and advantages of the present invention will become better j, 3,147,740 Patented Sept. 8, 1964 understood from the following descriptions and drawings which include a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein:

FIGURE l is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of a writing instrument of the invention wherein the point is projected by bending and .then retracted by pressing the writing tip against a rigid surface.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 2--2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal View, partly in section, of a writing instrument of the invention with its point retracted.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal View, partly in section, of the writing instrument of FIGURE 4 in a bent position.

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of the writing instrument after being released from its bent position of FIGURE 5 and wherein its writing point is projected.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, schematic, view of the ratchet latching mechanism developed into a single plane to illustrate the operation of the latching mechanism.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modication of the upper end of the casing of the embodiment of FIGURES 4 to 7.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary View of the modification of FIGURE 8 in a squeezed position.

FIGURE l0 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of an embodiment of the invention having a pushbutton.

FIGURE ll is a fragmentary sectional view of a modiication of the upper end of the embodiment of FIGURE 10 illustrating how the casing itself can serve as a pushbutton.

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of the modification of FIGURE l1 in a depressed position.

Reference is now made to the embodiment of FIG- URES l to 3. Here, the instrument casing includes the flexible upper plastic barrel section 2l), and the lower barrel section 21, which sections are joined together by threaded engagement with the rigid tubular connector 22. A cap member 23, defining a frustro-conical bore 24, is threadedly attached to the upper end of the tubular barrel section 20. The members 21 and 23 can be formed of an elastic plastic, or they can be formed of a rigid plastic, or even formed of metal. The connector 22, includes the rigid tubular frustro-conical upper portion 25, while a pair of metal spring latches 26 and 26 extend downwardly from the lower end of said connector 22.

The outer ends of spring latches 26 and 26 are bent to define the hooks 27 and 27 respectively. A ballpoint cartridge unit 28, includes the tubular reservoir tube 29, the annular flange or washer 30 xed to said tube 29, the capillary feeder tube 31 and writing point or ball 32. The reservoir tube 29 is longitudinally slidable within the tubular connecting member 22. A coil compression spring 33, disposed between the annular lip 34 defined in the lower barrel member 21 and the llange 30, urges the cartridge unit 28 toward a point retracted position.

In operation, the projected point of FIGURE 1 is readily retracted by pressing the writing point 32 firmly against a rigid surface 35, preferably while holding the instrument perpendicular to said surface. This will dislodge the flange 3l) from its latched position within lthe hooks 27 and 27', whereupon the expanding pressure of spring 33 will then move cartridge unit 28 upwardly until the upper end 36 of said cartridge unit abuts the wall 37 of the cap 23. The writing point 32 will now be in a retracted, i.e. concealed, position within the lower portion of barrel member 21. To project the writing point,

the upper end of casing member 2t) is bent relative to the lower casing member 21. This bending will bring a wall of said bore 24 into wedging, sliding engagement with an edge of the inner end 36 of the cartridge unit 28 to thereby wedge said cartridge unit 28 downwardly relative to the instrument casing until the ange 30 becomes engaged between the hooks 27 and 27. Then, upon release of this bending pressure, the entire casing will assurne its straight unbent position, and the instrument will be in the position of FIGURE l with its point 32 projected.

The embodiment of FIGURES 4 to 7 illustrate a ballpoint pen which can be both retracted and projected by deformation of the casing. Here, the upper flexible barrel section 40 is in threaded engagement with the rigid tubular barrel section 41, which in turn, is threaded onto the rigid tubular nosepiece 42. A ballpoint cartridge 43 is provided, having a writing ball 44 and a flange or attened portion 45. The cartridge 43 is frictionally held within the rigid sleeve 46, whose upper end deiines the annular ange 47, which in turn denes an air vent 48. The flange 47 seats the upper end of the cartridge 43, thereby acting as a stop to insure that the cartridge 43 is properly inserted in said sleeve 46. The lower portion of the sleeve 46 has an enlarged diameter 49 which denes an annular groove 50. A locking ball or pawl 51 is carried within said groove 50.

Tubular ratchet latch members 52 and 53 are iixed, as by gluing or frictional engagement, to the inner wall of member 41. The upper latch or pawl receiving member 52 has the downwardly projecting ratchet teeth 54 and 55. The lower pawl directing member 53 has the upwardly projecting ratchet teeth 56 and 57 which are radially olset from the downwardly projecting ratchet teeth 54 and 55. Said teeth 54, 55, 56 and 57 thereby form an endless camway. The latch ball or pawl 51, is rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the instrument while following the groove 50. Said ball 51 is transversely retained between said sleeve portion 49 and the inner wall of barrel portion 41. The longitudinal movement of said ball 51 is limited by engagement with the sides of the teeth 54, 55, 56 and 57.

The closed upper end 58 of barrel 40, denes a frustroconical shape bore 59 having an end wall 60. A coil compression spring 61, is disposed between the flange 45 and an annular lip 62 formed in nose piece 42. The spring 61 urges the cartridge 43, along with its frictionally engaging sleeve 46, upwardly within the bore 59.

FIGURE 4 shows ballpoint 44 retracted within the nose piece 42, the inner sleeve end 47 engaging the barrel upper end 60, and the locking ball 51 in a deep longitudinally extending recess between teeth 54 and 55. FIGURE shows the upper end of casing 4t) bent to thereby wedge the sleeve 46 downwardly against the pressure of spring 61, due to sliding wedging contact of an edge of end 47 along the wall dening the bore 59. This downward movement of sleeve 46 carries the locking ball 51 into sliding or rolling contact with the latch member 53, while contact radially shifts said ball 51. Upon release of the bending pressure, the instrument resumes its straight position as shown in FIGURE 6. This straightening of the casing will move the sleeve end 47 from contact with the side wall of bore 59 to thereby relieve the downwardly directed force on sleeve 46. As this downwardly directed force is relieved, the spring 61 will urge the cartridge 43 upwardly. The upward movement of cartridge 43 moves upwardly the sleeve 46, which in turn, carries the latch ball 51 into the shallow longitudinally extending recess between teeth 55 and 54. 'Ihe entire instrument thereby assumes the position of FIGURE 6.

To retract the point 44 from its projected position of FIGURE 6, the casing is again bent as in FIGURE 5. This time the locking ball 51 is carried downwardly into contact with the tapered side of tooth 57, which contact radially shifts said ball 51. Then, upon release of the bending pressure, the locking ball 51 will move upwardly into contact with the tapered side of tooth 54 and will again be guided into the deep recess between teeth 54 and 55. The instrument will again be in the point retracted position of FIGURE 4 with the cartridge 43 and sleeve 46 concentric with the bore 59.

The above described sequence of steps is illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 7. Here, the latching mechanism has been developed into a single plane with the small circles and numerals enclosed therein representing the location of the locking ball S1 at various stages of the projection-retraction cycle with relation to the latching members 52 and 53. When the point 44 is retracted as in FIGURE 4, then the ball 51 is at position 1 in the deep recess between teeth 54 and 55. As the upper end of the instrument is bent, the ball 51 is moved from position 1 to position 2 where it engages a tapered side of tooth 56. As the ball 51 moves further downwardly it rolls along the tapered edge of tooth 56 to position 3, which corresponds to the position of the ball 51 in FIG- URE 5. Upon release of the bending stress, said ball moves up to position 4 and finally moves to position 5. Position 5 of FIGURE 7 corresponds to the position of the latch ball 51 in FIGURE 6. Upon a subsequent bending and release of the casing, the ball 51 moves through positions 6, 7, 8 and linally 1 of FIGURE 7, to thereby revert to its retracted position of FIGURE 4. Y FIGURE 8 is a modification of the upper end of the casing of the embodiment of FIGURES 4 to 7. Here the upper portion 58 has been made somewhat longer than the corresponding portion 58 of FIGURES 4 to 7. Also, a bore 7) is defined in the end 58. These changes make it easier to grasp the portion 58 and to squeeze it as illustrated in FIGURE 9 to thereby move by a wedging action, the sleeve 46 downwardly relative to the casing as illustrated in FIGURE 9. Upon release of the sequeezing pressure, the upper end 58 of the casing will return to its original shape and the sleeve 46 will move upwardly under action of the spring 61. By imparting reciprocal longitudinal movement to the sleeve 46 by squeezing, the latch members 51, 52 and 53 will go through the same projection-retraction cycle illustrated by FIGURE 7 to either project or retract the writing point 44. This modiication is alsoy operable by bending in the manner previously described with regard to the embodiment of FIGURES 4 to 7.

FIGURE 10 represents another modiication of the upper end of the instrument of FIGURES 4 to 7. In FIGURE 10, a rigid pushbutton unit including the stem 73 terminates inside the casing in the inverted cup-shape actuator 71 delining a substantially frustro-conical bore 72. Depression and release of the pushbutton stem 73 will longitudinally move the sleeve 46 so as to move the latch ball 51, relative to latch members 52 and 53, through the same protraction-retraction cycle described with reference to the embodiment of FIGURES 4 to 7. At the same time, by bending the casing of FIGURE 10 in the same manner illustrated in FIGURE 5 and then releasing said casing from its bent position, the latch ball 51 and latch members 52 and 53 will also go through their protraction-retraction cycle. In addition it will be apparent that by squeezing the upper elastic portion of the casing 58 in the direction of arrows X and Y, that the actuator 71 will be wedged downwardly to thereby in turn move the sleeve 46 downwardly against pressure of spring 61. Upon release of this squeezing pressure, the casing 58 will return to its original undeformed shape and the sleeve 46 will move upwardly under the pressure of spring 61. Thus, longitudinal movement can be imparted to the sleeve 46 by squeezing to thereby operate for the latch members 51, 52 and 53 through their cycle to either protract or retract the point 44. In brief, the instrument of FIGURE 10 can be operated by bending, pushbutton action or sequeeze action, to either retract or protract the writing point 44. Various combinations of lthese actions can also be used. For example, the point 44 can be projected by squeezing, retracted by pushbutton, projected again by bending etc.

FIGURES 11 and 12 represent a modification of the upper portion of the embodiment of FIGURE 10. Here, the upper exible portion of the casing 58' is completely closed. By depressing the closed end 58" in the manner shown in FIGURE l2, the sleeve 46 carrying the ballpoint cartridge can be longitudinally moved in the same manner as was obtained by use of the pushbutton stem 73 in FIGURE 10. The modification of FIGURES l1 and l2 allows Ia` pushbutton action without the need for an externally accessible pushbutton stem. This elimination of the pushbutton stem permits a more streamlined appearance to the instrument while still permitting pushbutton operation. Also, by having a closed end casing, the danger of ink leakage is lessened since the only opening in the casing is at the lower end of the instrument where the point projects through. It will also be apparent that the modification of FIGURES l1 and l2 also permits bending and squeeze actuation.

The illustrated embodiments represent a number of advantages and are preferred embodiments of the invention. For example, in the embodiment of FIGURES 4 to 7, the rigid nose piece 42 can be unscrewed to permit pulling the ballpoint cartridge 43 out of frictional engagement with the rigid sleeve 46 so that a new cartridge can be inserted. In this way, exhausted cartridges can be replaced. Also, it is desired to have the latch mechanism 49, 51, 52, and 53 remote from the upper end of the conical actuating bore 59, and proximate the writing ball 44. In this arrangement, no allowance for play or loose fitting is required between the rigid tubular latch members 52 and 53 and the adjacent members 49 and 51 when operating the instrument by bending. Thus, all the play upon bending occurs at the end 47, while the sleeve 46 remains centered within the tubular members S2 and 53. Also, by making the intermediate barrel portion 41 rigid, there is less chance for the latch members 52 and 53 from being displaced from their fixed engagement with said intermediate barrel portion 41 when deforming the upper resilient barrel portion 40 by bending or squeezing. It will also be apparent that by deforming the upper barrel section 40 proximate its upper end, there is less danger of deforming the engaging portion (i.e. the threads) of sections 40 and 41.

While the embodiments 'of FIGURES 4 to 7 and 8 to 9 are operable by sequeezing, it is preferred to have a loose member such as 71 of FIGURE 10 or 7l of FIGURES 1l and 12 having an arcuate surface engageable with the casing. Such an arcuate surface facilitiates the squeeze action. On the other hand, the blunt end 47 of the embodiment of FIGURES 4 to 7 requires applying the squeezing action more precisely to the casing as compared to the embodiment of FIGURE l0.

One of the major features of the present invention is that the instruments of the invention can be worked from any side of the casing. For example, while FIG- URE 5 shows the upper end of the casing bent towards the left of the drawing, the instrument can be equally well actuated by bending said upper end to the right, or in fact in' any direction, just so long as the upper end is displaced from axial alignment with the lower portion of the casing.

A number of minor variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A writing instrument comprising a casing defining upper and lower ends and having an elastic upper portion and a rigid lower portion; a writing unit mounted in said casing for movement between a point retracted position and a point protracted position, said unit having a lower end defining a writing point and an upper end; actuating means carried by said upper portion of said casing proximate the upper end of said casing, said actuating means having sides defining a substantially conical bore normally coaxial with the upper end of said writing unit; resilient means urging said writing unit to said point retracting position whereby said upper end of said unit is concentrically within said bore; said casing being deformable whereby a side of said bore is brought into wedging sliding contact with said upper end of said unit .to thereby drive Asaid unit outwardly to said point protracted position against the action of said resilient means; and latching means disposed within said rigid lower portion for holding said unit in said point protracted position against the retractive pressure of said resilient means.

2. A writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein said latching means comprises a ratchet mechanism including a pawl receiving member and a pawl member engageable therewith, one of said members being carried by said Writing unit and the other of said members being carried by said rigid lower portion.

3. A writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein said latching means is a spring latch carried by said casing and engageable with said Writing unit to hold said writing unit in said point protracted position, said spring latch being disengaged from its writing unit holding position upon the application of inwardly directed pressure relative to said casing to said writing point in said point protracted position, said inwardly directed pressure being in excess of normal writing pressure.

4. A writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein said Writing unit is concentric with said rigid lower portion and remains so upon bending the upper elastic portion relative to said rigid lower portion to thereby bring a side of said bore into said wedging sliding contact with said inner end.

5. A writing instrument according to claim l, wherein said actuating means is a rigid member.

6. A writing instrument according to claim 5, wherein said rigid member includes a stern projecting through the upper end of said casing to serve as a pushbutton, and wherein said stem can be depressed relative to said casing to urge said writing unit to its point protracted position.

7. A writing instrument according to claim 5, wherein said casing is squeezable proximate its upper end whereby squeezing said casing will urge said rigid member downwardly relative to said casing to thereby urge said writing unit to a point protracted position.

8. A writing instrument comprising a casing having upper and lower ends including an elastic upper portion, a rigid intermediate portion and a rigid lower portion, said lower portion being detachably attached to said intermediate portion; a writing unit having upper and lower ends including a rigid sleeve, and a ballpoint cartridge including a writing point, said cartridge being carried within said rigid sleeve, said writing unit being mounted in said casing for longitudinal movement between a point protracted position and a point retracted position; and actuating member carried proximate the upper end of said casing within said elastic upper portion, said actuating member having sides defining a substantially frusto conical bore normally coaxial with said writing unit; a spring urging said writing unit upwardly relative to said casing whereby said upper end of said writing unit is within said bore; a ratchet latching means including a pawl receiving member and a pawl member engageable therewith, one of said members being carried by said rigid intermediate portion of said casing and the other of said members being carried by said sleeve; said upper portion of said casing being deformable whereby a side of said bore is brought into wedging sliding contact with the upper end of said Writing unit to thereby drive said unit downwardly to a point protracted position against the action of said spring whereby said latching means is actuated to hold said writing unit in a point protracted position.

9. A writing instrument according to claim 8, wherein said upper elastic portion of said casing can be bent relative to said rigid portion of said casing to thereby deform said casing to obtain said Wedging sliding contact.

10. A writing instrumentaccording to claim 8, whereby said cartridge unit can be pulled out of contact with said sleeve upon detaching said lower lrigid portion from said intermediate rigid portion.

11. A writing instrument according to claim 8, wherein said elastic portion of said casing can be squeezed proximate said actuating member.

12. In a Writing instrument, a Writing point, a retraction-protraction mechanism for moving said point back and forth between a retracted position and a protracted system, and a casing having a closed flexible end which can be squeezed downwardly to actuate said retractionprotraction mechanism.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 18, 1959 

1. A WRITING INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A CASING DEFINING UPPER AND LOWER ENDS AND HAVING AN ELASTIC UPPER PORTION AND A RIGID LOWER PORTION; A WRITING UNIT MOUNTED IN SAID CASING FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A POINT RETRACTED POSITION AND A POINT PROTRACTED POSITION, SAID UNIT HAVING A LOWER END DEFINING A WRITING POINT AND AN UPPER END; ACTUATING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID UPPER PORTION OF SAID CASING PROXIMATE THE UPPER END OF SAID CASING, SAID ACTUATING MEANS HAVING SIDES DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL BORE NORMALLY COAXIAL WITH THE UPPER END OF SAID WRITING UNIT; RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID WRITING UNIT TO SAID POINT RETRACTING POSITION WHEREBY SAID UPPER END OF 